Kings // c. griffin

Chapter Six

Isaac rested against a thick tree at the edge of camp, staring into the crowd of people, watching them carefully. His eyes roamed over the dark bodies, lingering on the faces lit up by the fires that were spread throughout the clearing. His gaze would follow those that stood up and walked to another place, examining their stride, their actions, the way the moved as they spoke carefully. He was far enough back that he wouldn't be seen; he simply watched the people.

He had done this on the Ark a lot as well. He'd sit in the corner of a busy part of the Ark, his favorite place being the rationing center. He would watch people trade things, talk, play games of chess, and get into the occasional fight all the while he observed from his favorite little corner table. He often liked to make up stories and conversations that had to do with the people he had been watching. The couple to his right were considering a kid, but were afraid in case they had twins. The nervous looking man in the opposite corner was waiting for an illegal trade to finish. The woman at the counter was angry because she thought a taunting offer would buy her more rations, but it hadn't worked. He spent most of his days outside, in the Ark, watching people. Always observing, never engaging, his eyes always on alert.

Those days he spent in that busy room had been where he had acquired most of is observational skills, by simply practicing and observing. A few certain people had learned that if they sat down and spoke with him, he was sometimes wise beyond his years, and understanding, and one of the best listeners. But that rarely happened; he was used to and happy being alone, the only conversationalist being his own mind. 

Isaac watched as Clarke appeared at the entrance of the drop ship, noticing how she worriedly glanced back up at the upper level when Jasper grunted out another loud moan, one that echoed through the camp and left Isaac to worry about the poor boy. 

"No!" Isaac's head turned to the side as he heard the soft yell coming from just a small ways away from him. He knelt on his knees, forcing himself up as he heard the shout again. He took note of how young the voice was, young and female. He crept over to the noise, and he found a small, dirty blonde girl writhing around on the ground, her eyes closed as she slept. "No, please!" she begged, and Isaac frowned. 

He nervously reached a hand out, tapping her on the shoulder. The girl jerked awake, shoving away from Isaac who startled at the sudden rushed movement. "Hey, it's okay," he spoke softly, his arm only halfway outstretched and his palm facing her, trying to calm her down a bit. "It's okay, it's just a dream." Her terrified eyes met his for a second, and a spark of familiarity sparked in him, giving him a name. "You're Charlotte, right?" he tried. The girl barely nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on her folded arms. "I'm Isaac." Charlotte looked at him briefly before her gaze flickered back down towards the ground. "It's okay to be scared," he assured her, and suddenly he was sitting down next to her, legs crossed like a small child. "Do you want to talk about it? I've heard I'm a great listener."

Charlotte sighed, Isaac watching as a stray tear rolled down her cheek, catching on her chin as it slid under her face and down her neck. "It's... my parents," Charlotte muttered, and Isaac shifted in his seat next to her, leaning against a tree. "They were floated, and I see them in my dreams, and I just-"

"I understand," Isaac interrupted her softly, empathy in his eyes as he looked at the girl. He felt his heart clench; she couldn't have been older than thirteen. At the youngest she was probably ten or eleven, he wasn't exactly able to tell. Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "My parents are gone, too." Charlotte looked at him, shocked, and clearly she had been thinking, in her state, that she was the only one in her situation. Isaac examined her carefully, not believing that such a tiny, fragile girl was such a criminal that she was arrested and sent down to Earth. "How did you end up here?" he asked, making sure his voice was kind.